Carrier bag



Jan. l2, 1937 G. F. wlLLETTs ET AL CARRIER BAG Filed March 28, 1955 Tf' ,ZI ZZ 5 Patented Jan. 12, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Willetts, London,

Application March' 28 In Great Brit Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in carrier bags-of the kind provided with one or more handles for carrying purposes, and has particular reference to paper carrier bags which are provided with cardboard or like handles.

The ordinary carrier bag of this kind usually has two at walls which are of the same depth so that the mouth edges coincide-such bags are known as flush top bags-and the handles are secured one to each side wall or are formed in each side wall.

As the mouth edges of the bag are flush the bag will always remain open at the top and in order to overcome this disadvantage special bags have been made the walls of which are of unequal depth so as to permit of the portion of one wall which projects above the other at the top to be folded over and constitute a flap closing themouth of the bag. In some constructions this closure ap has been slotted to define the shape of the handle and crease lines have been made from the' ends of the slot to the sides of the bag to facilitate folding the flap, the handle projecting when the latter is folded. To retain the flap closed a portion bent out from the handle or from the mouth edge of the wall of less depth has been adapted to pass through and engage the flap when folded.

The object of the present invention is to enable the ordinary readymade flush top carrier bag to be easily converted into one capable of being closed at the top with handles projecting for carrying purposes, and at the same time to permit of the bag being closed by folding the top in either of two directions on to either wall of the bag with the facility for locking the folded portions of the walls in one, but preferably the two folded positions.

The following description taken in conjunction with Athe accompanying drawing illustrates how this object of the invention is achieved. In the drawing:-

Figure 1 is a perspective view looking towards the mouth of one construction of the bag.

Figure 2 is an elevation of the interior of one wall partly cut away on both sides of the handle formed therein.

Figure 3 is an outside elevation showing the walls folded along the crease lines to close the bag and the bridge pieces engaging under the downturned tongues.

Figure 4 is a perspective' view of the closed bag the bottom of which is cut away.

Figure 5 is an outside elevation of the alterna- England 1935, Serial No. 13,440

ain April 4, 1934 tive construction of the bag showing one wan folded inwardly and along the crease line.

Figure 6 is an interior elevation of a wall of the bag according to Figure 5 with the associated wall portion turned down.

In the drawing like reference numerals denote like or similar parts.

According to the invention in the ordinary known apless paper or the like bag the envelope of which consists of two flat ush top 1o walls I, 2 secured at the sides 3, 4 with or without gussets, the walls I, 2 are slotted in a central position and adjacent the mouth edges 6 to define the handles "I, 8 integral with the walls by punching coincidently through both walls and 15 the strengthening pieces 5, elongated finger holes or slots 9, I ll and a convenient distance away from and extending to both sides of the slots 9, III arch shape slots II, I2 defining the contours of the handles and resulting in openings I3, I4 through which the handles' are passed when the wall is folded to close the bag, the mouth edge of the wall in Fig. 1 being pushed back to show clearly the opening I3 of the wall.

Crease lines I5 are formed coincidently in both walls I, 2 extending parallel with the mouth edges 6 and horizontally in line with and from the ends I6, I'l of the respective arch shaped slots II, I2 to the sides 3, 4 of the bag, 30 the distance between the said crease lines I5 and the mouth edges 6 of the bag forming foldable wall portions which can be folded over to close the bag.

In Figures 1 to 4 the Walls are joined at the 35 sides from top to bottom, and bag is closed by folding both foldable wall portions down on to the portions of either wall I, 2 below the crease lines, which action leaves the handles projecting as shown in Figures 3 and 4. 40

In an alternative construction (Figs. 5 and 6) so as to leave the handles projecting with or without closing the bag, the sides of the bag from the crease lines I5 are cut to provide 'separate foldable wall portions I9, the cutting being 45 effected by removing the corners to provide inclined side edges 20 to the said wall portions which facilitate folding thereof. One of these separate wall portions I9 may be turned down inside the bag as shown in Fig. 6 and glued or 50 otherwise secured to the associated wall, thus leaving a handle permanently projecting, closure of the bag being effected by folding the other wall portion so that the opening formed by the handles passes over the permanently 55 projecting handle and brings the two handles adjacent. In the case where it is desired to have the bag open, both wall portions will. be downturned on their respective walls, preferably on the inside thereof to leave the handles projecting as before, and the bridge pieces of the foldable wall portions may be engaged and retained under the downturned tongues 2l of said respective walls.

In order to lock the foldable wall portions in the downturned position in either construction shown, one, but preferably fboth walls, I, 2 are slit below the crease lines |5 to form downturned tongues 2| under which the bridge pieces 22 formed by the arch shape slots l I, l2 are engaged as is shuwn in Figs. 3 to 5 when the flaps are folded to close the bag, or in the case of the alternative construction of Figs. 5 and 6 when they are folded inside the bag.

In order to avoid sharp edges to the at handles, said handles or the edges thereof may be creased or bent to produce a rounded effect or may be creased to make them more flexible.

Gussets may be provided at the sides and/or bottom. l

In the modification shown in Figs. 5 and 6, one foldable wall portion is shown folded inwardly the mouth being closed by folding the other wall portion over the mouth and locking same as before mentioned.

We claim: 1.' A flush top carrier bag comprising an envelope with two at walls of equal depth so that the mouth edges coincide, said walls having at the Acentre coincident finger holes and around the holes coincident slits curved convexly to the mouth edges to form bridge pieces and to permit of the wall portions between the mouth edges and an imaginary line joining the ends of the slits to be folded down on to either wall portion below said line, and an outwardly and downwardly extending tongue formed in and as an integral part of one or each wall and disposed between and below the ends of the slits so as to be engageable over the'inner edge of the bridge piece of the foldable wall portion when folded down on to the wall portion below said line in which the tongue is formed.

2. A flush top carrier bag comprising an envelope with two flat walls of equal depth so 'that the mouth edges coincide, the walls of the envelope having coincident crease lines extending from the sides of the envelope parallel to the mouth edges and terminating at central slits which are curved convexly to the mouth edges to form bridge pieces separate from handle portions which are integral with the wall portions below the crease lines, and the sides of the bag .being slit from the crease lines to the mouth edges to provide separate wall portions which can be folded along the crease .lines to leave both handle portions projecting with or without closing the bag, said handle portions having coincident finger holes and a downwardly extending tongue being formed in each wall below the nger holes and the' crease lines so that it can be pushed outwards or inwards to engage over the inner edge of the bridge piece of the associated wall when folded down.

3. A flush top carrier bag comprising an envelope with two flat walls of equal depth so that the mouth edges coincide, said walls having at the centre coincident nger holes and around the holes coincident slits curved convexly to the mouth edges to form bridge pieces and to permit of the wall portions between thev mouth edges and an imaginary line joining the ends of the slits to be folded down on to either wall portion below said line, and an outwardly and downwardly extending tongue on one or each wall disposed between and below the ends of the slits so as to be engageable over the inner edges of said bridge pieces of the foldable wall portion when folded down on to the wall portion below said line whereon the tongue is carried.

4. A bag having a pair of side walls each having an opening therein adjacent to the top thereof, each side wall. also having a slit extending crosswise thereof above the opening therein and downwardly in spaced relationship to the ends of the opening to provide a carrying handle, the openings and slits of the respective bag walls being alined so that said handles are alined, said slits being disposed below the top edges of the bag sides to provide flaps either of which may be folded downwardly against the outer face of the opposite bag side to close the mouth of the bag by first inserting the handle of the said opposite bag side through the slit inA the other bag side, the handles extending above the top of the bag when the latter is -closed by downward folding of either flap as set forth.

5. A bag as set forth in claim 4 including cooperating formations on at least one of the flaps and one of the side walls of the bag to fasten the flap in a downward folded position closing the mouth of the bag.

GEORGE FREDERICK WILLETTS. ALBERT LACEY WILLETTS. 

